Category: Newsworthy

Hmong New Year Isn’t Happening

BY XUYING LEE

STAFF WRITER

Minnesota’s Hmong New Year is one of the biggest events for the Hmong people of Minnesota. It is a time to get together with family and friends, as well as strangers, and gloss over the recent year.  It is a three day celebration that holds a pageant, dance competition, talent showcase, and many speeches from honorable elders. The whole of the Hmong community came together and felt a sense of belonging to one another. Not only that, but it was a time to honor your past family members and welcome on the new year with good luck and prosperity.

Continue reading “Hmong New Year Isn’t Happening” →

Diwali – The Festival of Lights

BY VENKATA KARAVADI

Diwali, also spelled Divali, one of the major religious festivals in Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism, lasting for five days from the 13th day of the dark half of the lunar month, Ashvina to the second day of the light half of the lunar month Karttika. A Hindu festival of lights, held in the period October to November. It is particularly associated with Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity, and marks the beginning of the fiscal year in India. (The corresponding dates in the Gregorian calendar usually fall in late October and November). The name is derived from the Sanskrit term dipavali, meaning “row of lights.” The festival generally symbolizes the victory of light over darkness. The third day of Diwali is celebrated on Saturday, November 14, 2020. Observances of Diwali differ depending on region and tradition. Among Hindus, the most widespread custom is the lighting of diyas (small earthenware lamps filled with oil) on the night of the new moon to invite the presence of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. In Bengal, the goddess Kali is worshipped. In North India the festival also celebrates the royal homecoming of Rama (along with Sita, Lakshmana, and Hanuman[there are many Indian gods that Indian people worship. TONS]) to the city of Ayodhya after defeating Ravana, the 10-headed king of the demons, thus connecting the festival with the holiday of Dussehra. In South India, the festival marks Krishna’s defeat of the demon Narakasura. Some celebrate Diwali as a commemoration of the marriage of Lakshmi and Vishnu, while others observe it as the birthday of Lakshmi.

During the festival, diyas are lit and placed in rows along the parapets of temples and houses and set adrift on rivers and streams. Homes are decorated, and floors inside and out are covered with rangoli, consisting of elaborate designs made of coloured rice, sand, or flower petals. The doors and windows of houses are kept open in the hope that Lakshmi will find her way inside and bless the residents with wealth and success.Diwali is generally a time for visiting, exchanging gifts, wearing new clothes, feasting, feeding the poor, and setting off fireworks (though such displays have been restricted to limit noise and other environmental pollution). Gambling, especially in the form of card games, is encouraged as a way of ensuring good luck in the coming year and in remembrance of the games of dice played by Shiva and Parvati on Mount Kailasa or similar contests between Radha and Krishna. Ritually, in honour of Lakshmi, the female player always wins. The time of Diwali is one of the most festive and beautiful times of the year. Diwali literally means a row of Lights. It is a time filled with light and love; a time when Indians all over the world rejoice. The meaning of Diwali, its symbols and rituals, and the reasons for celebration are innumerable. Diwali also celebrates Lord Rama’s glorious and long awaited return to his kingdom of Ayodhya after his fourteen years of exile in the forests. It commemorates Lord Krishna’s victory over the demon Narakaasura who had kidnapped and terrorised the gopis of Vrindavan. It is also celebrated as the day Bhagwan Vishnu married Maha Lakshmi. Diwali is also associated with the story of the fall of Bali – a demon king who was defeated by Lord Vishnu.We decorate our homes with lanterns; but what is the symbolism behind that? Those lanterns signify God’s light, penetrating through the ignorance and sin of our daily lives. They signify the divine light, shining its way through this mundane world. A home bathed in light is a home in which anger, pain and ignorance are being dispelled; it is a home that is calling to God. However, too many people turn this into a domestic beauty contest, spending days and a great deal of money to purchase the newest diyas, the most beautiful candles. This is only the light of glamour. It is not the light of God.

The light of Diwali should be within us. It should symbolize the personal relationship between God and our families. Let the light penetrate inward, for only there will it have lasting benefit. A piece of cotton soaked in ghee, lit with a pure heart, a conscious mind, and a desire to be free from ignorance is far “brighter” than 100 expensive deepaks.

Genetic Scissors: Snipping DNA

BY LAASYA AKI

STAFF WRITER

Modifying genes in cells used to take up years, but with these genetic scissors, that process can be shortened to a few weeks. 

Modifying and snipping genes is useful for a lot of reasons. We can remove a genome that causes a disease or illness before a baby is born. We can breed different plant species to find the perfect combination of multiple types. We can also eliminate diseases and viruses in plants. There are so many different things we can do, but, modifying genes isn’t always an option because of how long it takes and how much it can cost. The older methods weren’t as precise, either. But now, we can snip and edit DNA in just a few weeks.

CRISPR is a tool that is used for editing and snipping the genome. Scientists can replicate DNA and edit DNA sequences. This was what took so long before this discovery was made. 

Emmanuelle Charpenteir and Jennifer Doudna discovered this; it’s one of the sharpest tools which can snip DNA. The CRISPR/Cas9 scissors allow scientists to change the DNA of many different organisms with extreme precision. This new tool allows us to edit DNA with precision that we have never seen before. These scissors have revolutionized science and will help lead to groundbreaking medical discoveries and treatments. Editing DNA at this level gives scientists even more freedom to explore the genes. This amazing discovery changed science for the better, but it also had a huge impact on society. 

Charpenteir and Douda are also the first all-female recipients of the Nobel Prize. Their discovery took place in 2012, and they finally got recognition eight years later. This shows that their hard work and dedication paid off, and CRISPR will forever be changed for the better because of their discovery. 

Sources:

https://time.com/5897538/nobel-prize-crispr-gene-editing/

https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/chemistry/2020/press-release/

Protests in Nigeria

BY LYNNE INOUYE AND SYDNEY WESCHCKE

EDITOR-IN-CHEIF IN TRAINING AND STAFF WRITER

Over the past few weeks, tens of thousands of Nigerians have amassed to protest repeated instances of police brutality and terrible governance. The initial goal of these protests was to shut down the notorious Special Anti Robbery Squad, or SARS, which reports of officers violating numerous human rights. The call to end SARS is not a new thing either; protests have been happening on and off since 2017. That just leaves the question of what exactly is the Special Anti Robbery Squad? 

In 1992, SARS was set up as a way to combat armed robbery in Lagos, Nigeria, and its surrounding suburbs. It rapidly grew out of control, however, as the officers in it have no form of accountability. With many cases of police brutality, there has been more worldwide attention focusing on what SARS is doing. According to the Human Rights Organization, people in SARS custody were “subjected to a variety of methods of torture including hanging, mock execution, beating, punching and kicking, burning with cigarettes, waterboarding, near-asphyxiation with plastic bags…and sexual violence.”

SARS is also targeting many young people, especially those carrying laptops, smartphones, or other electronics. The government is very against such people as well, with the Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari, calling them lazy and unwilling to work. The starting point to the protests was when there were reports of SARS attacking a young man and driving off in his luxury jeep. This incident is what sparked the protests and the use of the hashtag #EndSARS.

Protests are still happening today, and it appears that they’ll only begin to get more violent, with the Lekki Massacre on October 20 being a prime example. In this incident, Nigerian soldiers fired upon peaceful protestors at Lekki Toll Gate, killing ten people. More reports of soldiers and police attacking and killing protesters are still coming in, as well. Nigerians, however, have not given up. Protestors, mostly made up of Nigerian youths, remain determined and continue to fight to have their voices heard and for a safe future in their country. 

Thanks for reading this article; stay safe and stay informed! 

Sources:

https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/25/africa/nigeria-end-sars-protests-analysis-intl/index.htmlhttps://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/10/26/massive-protests-nigeria-explained/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/10/26/massive-protests-nigeria-explained/

https://www.gq.com/story/endsars-protests-police-brutality-nigeria

Holi – The Festival of Color

BY VENKATA KARAVADI

STAFF WRITER

Holi is an Indian tradition that is celebrated by throwing colored (and safe) powder and liquid at each other. Holi is called the festival of colors because of the amount of colored stuff they use during the day. Holi is celebrated during the month of March (since we do not have an exact date for Holi). Also, Holi is a popular ancient Hindu festival, also known as the Indian “festival of spring”, the “festival of colors”, or the “festival of love”. The festival signifies the victory of good over evil. Holi also celebrates the arrival of spring, the end of winter, the blossoming of love, and for many, it’s a festive day to meet others, play and laugh, forget and forgive, and repair broken relationships. The festival also celebrates the beginning of a good spring harvest season. It lasts for a night and a day, starting on the evening of the Purnima (Full Moon day) falling in the Hindu calendar month of Phalguna, which falls around the middle of March in the Gregorian calendar. Holi is considered one of the most revered and celebrated festivals of India and it is celebrated in almost every part of the country. It is also sometimes called the “festival of love” as on this day people get to unite together forgetting all resentments and all types of bad feelings towards each other. The great Indian festival lasts for a day and a night, which starts in the evening of Purnima or the Full Moon Day in the month of Falgun. It is celebrated with the name Holika Dahan or Choti Holi on the first evening of the festival and the following day is called Holi. In different parts of the country, it is known by different names.

The vibrancy of colors is something that brings in a lot of positivity in our lives and Holi being the festival of colors is actually a day worth rejoicing in. Holi is a famous Hindu festival that is celebrated in every part of India with the utmost joy and enthusiasm. The ritual starts by lighting up the bonfire one day before the day of Holi and this process symbolizes the triumph of good over the bad. On the day of Holi people play with colors with their friends and families and in the evening they show love and respect to their close ones with Abeer. Holi has been celebrated in the Indian subcontinent for centuries, with poems documenting celebrations dating back to the 4th century CE. It marks the beginning of spring after a long winter, symbolic of the triumph of good over evil. It is celebrated in March, corresponding to the Hindu calendar month of Phalguna. In 2020, Holi begins March 10.

There are varying accounts of Holi’s origin mentioned in several works of ancient Indian literature. According to one popular version of the story, an evil king became so powerful that he forced his subjects to worship him as their god. But to the king’s ire, his son Prahlada continued to be an ardent devotee of the Hindu deity Lord Vishnu. The angry king plotted with his sister, Holika, to kill his son. Holika, who was immune to fire, tricked Prahlada to sit in a pyre with her. When the pyre was lit, the boy’s devotion to Lord Vishnu helped him walk away unscathed while Holika, from whom the festival derives its name, was burned to death despite her immunity. How Is Holi Celebrated? The advent of spring symbolizes rejuvenation, new beginnings, and everything in life that is optimistic, sunny, and brimming. Holi also has a share of mythical stories as the other Indian festivals. Also known as the festival of colors, the festival relates to the legend of ‘Holika’. The date of this festival varies as per the Hindu calendar every year. Earlier, this festival was only celebrated in India and Nepal. In recent times, it is celebrated all over Europe and North America where there is a huge Indian population. So, If you like to use colored powdered and liquid on your friends, then have fun during HOLI! (It is usually at the end of March.)

Amazon One

BY BELLA TRINKO AND ALAINA INOUYE

STAFF WRITERS

I’m certain we’ve all heard of Amazon, one of the biggest companies in the world. Well, they recently announced a new technology that could be groundbreaking in speed and security of retail transactions. Amazon One is a palm recognition technology that could make transactions such as paying at a store, entering a location that requires a ticket, and entering office buildings effortless and sanitary. Amazon is slowing trying to introduce this technology and get feedback from customers. After it has been included in all of their stores, it will be offered to third parties. 

Palm recognition is something that has been attempted in retail settings ,before but it hasn’t yet worked. Palm recognition was chosen due to privacy concerns and safety concerns. All palms can be distinguished, however you cannot trace someone using their palm, so palms worked well for customer privacy. It also requires someone to intentionally make a gesture to avoid accidental purchases. Amazon has been working to develop this technology since the beginning of 2019. Due to Amazon’s massive presence in the business world, I think it is safe to say palm recognition may, in time, become the new normal for retail and security transactions.

Links:

https://www.theverge.com/2020/9/29/21493094/amazon-one-palm-recognition-hand-payments-amazon-go-store

https://blog.aboutamazon.com/innovation/introducing-amazon-one-a-new-innovation-to-make-everyday-activities-effortless

Animal Pen: Nicobar Pigeon

BY KAIA KARPE

STAFF WRITER

The Nicobar Pigeon is found on Nicobar Island, right through the east of the Malay Archipelago, down to Palau and the Solomons. You may have heard of this bird as the closest living relative to the dodo. Scientists have this idea based on some cladistic analysis of mtDNA cytochrome b and 12S rRNA sequences.  Cladistic analysis is “a system of biological taxonomy based on the quantitative analysis of comparative data and used to reconstruct cladograms summarizing the (assumed) phylogenetic relations and evolutionary history of groups of organisms” says vocabulary.com. With this they can say that the Nicobar Pigeon has a slight possibility of being related to the dodo with the small amount of taxa. The definition of taxa (or taxon) is a way to categorize a group. They live up to eight to twelve years in the wild, and ten to fifteen years in captivity.

Nicobar Pigeons are the only living species in the Caloenas genus. They can measure up to sixteen inches, though typically the females are shorter than the males. These birds’ feathers are from not having any predators to hide from. In 2004, the Indian Ocean tsunami inflicted a huge amount of damage on Nicobar Island and caused a slight population decrease.

Nicobar Pigeons’ diet consists of seeds, fruit, and buds. A gizzard stone helps them digest hard foods such as seeds. Birds swallow tiny amounts of gravel that helps the gizzard stone by acting as “teeth”.

Here are more visual examples of the gizzard stone.

An interesting thing about the Nicobar Pigeon is that they fly in columns or a single file line unlike the more common loose flock. Their white tail is similar to a taillight; It helps the group stay together and not get lost in the dark. Younger birds lack the white feathers, so if an adult Nicobar Pigeon sees that, they will know that they are not potential mates, not competition for mating, and they are not old enough to safely guide the flock to one location to the next. They like to build nests in heavy forest areas. Nicobar Pigeons build loose stick nests in a tree, and lay only one egg. Nicobar Pigeons are monogamous which means they only mate with one partner for life.

Sadly, the Nicobar Pigeons are considered near threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, or IUCN. They are hunted for their gizzard stones, which are made into jewelry, and they are trapped in an illegal trade to the local pet market as an exotic pet. Also, their nesting habitat is decreasing due to deforestation for plantations. That is not all of the threats to the Nicobar Pigeon of course. Nicobar Pigeon populations are also decreasing because of the travel of predators to their breeding grounds. Some examples of non-native predators are cats and rats. They are trying to be saved by multiple zoos which are helping Nicobar Pigeons adapt in safer areas. Hopefully people will notice them and try and pitch in to keep these wonderful creatures alive and healthy.

Citations

  • “Nicobar Pigeon.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, September 27, 2020. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicobar_pigeon. 
  • “Gizzard.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, September 15, 2020. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gizzard. 
  • “This Colorful Pigeon with Luminous Feathers Is the Closest Living Relative to the Extinct Dodo Bird.” Positive Outlooks Blog, August 19, 2020. https://mypositiveoutlooks.com/nicobar-pigeon-dodo-relative/. 
  • “The World’s Fastest Dictionary.” Vocabulary.com. Accessed October 15, 2020. https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/cladistic analysis. 
  • “Gizzard and Crop Impaction.” Farm Health Online Animal Health and Welfare Knowledge Hub. Accessed October 15, 2020. https://www.farmhealthonline.com/US/disease-management/poultry-diseases/crop-impaction/. 

The White House and COVID-19

BY SYDNEY WESCHCKE

STAFF WRITER

Within the past month, dozens of members of the Trump Administration, including the President and his wife, have tested positive for COVID. This series of events started on September 26 at the Rose Garden event, which was celebrating the Supreme Court nomination of Amy Coney Barrett. This event has caused a spike in cases due to how many people have been infected from attending. On September 30, Hope Hicks, one of Trump’s close advisors, started showing symptoms while President Trump had his rally in Minnesota. He also held a rally on October 1, as well. He came in contact with many people and started to show symptoms. Later that night, he and First Lady Melania tested positive for COVID, which he publicly announced via Twitter in the early morning of October 2. 

Worried about his declining health, President Trump was flown to Walter Reed Hospital the same day. His oxygen level was below 94 percent, and he had a fever. During his three day stay, President Trump was given an experimental polyclonal antibody cocktail, two doses of remdessivir, and the steroid dexamethasone. On October 4, he went for a ride in his armored Chevrolet Suburban to see his supports, before returning to the hospital. The next day, October 5, he was discharged. 

A few days later on October 9, President Trump spoke with radio host Rush Limbaugh and claimed that he was feeling better than he was twenty years ago. Then, he held his first public event since his COVID diagnosis on October 10. He later tweeted, “Don’t be afraid of Covid. Don’t let it dominate your life.” 

There have been more people related to the Trump campaign that have tested positive for COVID in the past few weeks, along with the President’s son, Barron Trump. The most recent has been two of Vice President Pence’s top aides as of Sunday, October 25. Vice President Pence tested negative on Saturday and Sunday, and he is still taking place in rallies.

Thanks for reading this article; I hope it was informative. 

Sources:

https://apple.news/A0rVrWVAVTca-KSUK0A1aUw

https://www.npr.org/2020/10/25/927531128/pence-chief-of-staff-tests-positive-for-the-coronavirus

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/10/02/us/politics/trump-contact-tracing-covid.html

Candidate Positions: Who Stands Where

BY ALAINA INOUYE AND BELLA TRINKO

STAFF WRITERS

Candidate Platforms 

Mask Mandate Nationwide? 

Trump: No, Trump opposes a national mask mandate. He left it up to the states to decide what to do and support his previous decisions. 

Biden: Biden does support a national mask mandate. He has said he would call for all governors to enact a mask mandate. 

Affordable Care Act? 

Trump: No, he wants to overturn the Affordable Care Act. He says he has a new plan but has not yet told the American people what this plan is. 

Biden: Biden supports the Affordable Care Act. 

Lowering mandatory minimum prison sentences?

Trump: Yes, he supports this. He signed the First Step Act. The First Step Act aimed to lessen long-standing disparities in incarceration by reducing prison sentences.

Biden: Biden agrees with ending mandatory prison sentences. 

Death penalty? 

Trump: Yes, he does support the death penalty. He has made this very clear over his candidacy. 

Biden: Biden does not support the death penalty. 

Support defunding the police?

Trump: No, he does not support defunding the police. He says that most in law enforcement are “doing an incredible job.”

Biden: No, he does not support defunding the police. He wants to spend an additional 300 million(a year) on community policing initiatives and using existing funding on reforms.

Legalization of recreational marijuana?

Trump: He does not support the legalization of recreational marijuana. He believes that it should be left up to the states. 

Biden: Biden supports decriminalizing recreational marijuana. He wishes to have further research done on the effects and would expunge prior convictions. 

Support for ‘Zero tolerance’ policy that led to family separations at the border?

Donald Trump: He does support this policy.

Biden: He does not support this policy.

Supports cross-examination of accusers of sexual assault at colleges and universities?

Donald Trump: Yes, he has activated the rights of the accused. 

Biden: No, he says he strongly disagrees with this.

Supports a federal assault weapons ban?

Trump: No, he does not agree with this ban. 

Biden: He does support this, he supports a ban that would buy the assault weapons back.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/elections/2020/trump-policies-vs-biden-policies/

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